The 2nd Annual Love Montevallo Day will be held on Saturday, March 16, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Shoal Creek Park (2781 Hwy 119). Montevallo’s newest park boasts 167 acres of meadows, woodlands, and hiking trails along Shoal Creek.
“Love Montevallo Day is a time for us to celebrate our collective accomplishments. This year is especially significant because we are officially opening Shoal Creek Park, which was a loving and generous gift from Elizabeth Mahler,” says Montevallo Mayor Hollie Cost.
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In addition to celebrating the Grand Opening of Montevallo’s newest park with a ribbon cutting ceremony for the newly constructed pavilion and bridge, there will be children’s activities provided by University of Montevallo Environmental Club, geocaching, guided historical and botanical tours, interactive wildlife exhibits by Alabama Wildlife Center and Cahaba Environmental Center, live music by JQ’s One Man Swing Band, food trucks, a 5k Color Fun Run, and more! Visitors are invited to bring chairs or blankets and dress for outdoor activity. Admission is free, and this event is rain or shine. Participants in the 5k Color Fun Run must register online prior to the event.
· 10 a.m. - Park opens
· 10:10 a.m. - Ribbon cutting at the pavilion
· 10:20 a.m. – Ribbon cutting at the bridge
· 10:30 a.m. – Geocaching tour
· 10:30 a.m. – Historical tour
· 11:00 a.m. – Botanical tour
· 11:00 a.m. – Historical tour
· 12:00 p.m. – Kick-off of the MJCC 5k Color Fun Run
· 1:30 p.m. – Geocaching tour
The MJCC 5k Color Fun Run is organized by the Montevallo Junior City Council and University of Montevallo students in Professor DeAnna Smith’s Social Entrepreneurship & Sustainability class. The first 50 registrations include a free Love Montevallo Day t-shirt upon arrival. Pets are welcome to join if they are on a leash. Registration is required and fees are: $10 high school students and under, $15 for college students, and $25 for adults. Register online at:http://www.montevallo.edu/love-montevallo-run. Proceeds benefit the Montevallo Junior City Council and the Arc of Shelby County.
In November 2013, Ms. Elizabeth “Betty” Mahler donated her family’s 167-acre estate, as well as the home built on the property, to the City of Montevallo to be developed into Shoal Creek Park. The Mahler Pavilion project was recently completed and includes two handicap parking places, a trailhead kiosk, two restrooms, and a covered picnic area, with reproductions of vintage Mahler family pictures hanging in the pavilion. This pavilion will provide a perfect space for outdoor classrooms, community gatherings, family reunions, and picnics. The Mahler Pavilion will available for reservation through City Hall. The newly-installed pedestrian bridge over Shoal Creek allows easy access to both sides of the creek and additional meadows for hiking and exploration, and also allows access to over 100 acres on the northwest side of Shoal Creek Park. An additional five miles of trails are under development in this part of the park. Another bridge will be added in the next few months at the northern-most part of the park near the historic cemetery at Shoal Creek Park. The Frank Arnold Bridge is made possible from the generous donation of the family of Terry and Sarah Arnold, and will allow completion of the Betty Mahler Loop trail, an approximately 1-mile loop trail along Shoal Creek.
Thank you to the many partners who collaborated to create Shoal Creek Park: the Mahler family, ADECA, Turner Batson, Wayne Davis Construction, Shelby County, Montevallo Development Cooperative District, Shoal Creek Park Foundation, the Arnold family, Montevallo’s Parks and Recreation Department, the City of Montevallo, and countless volunteers.
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